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BRAZILIAN HANGNESTS AND BLACKCAPS.


Sir, —I should be very much obliged if you would kindly let me

know what is the best food for an Orange Troupial, also a Blackcap. I am

now giving them both : egg mixed with powdered biscuit, ants’ eggs, meal¬

worms, currants, banana, and oranges. But I should be glad to know of a

food that would nourish and yet not fatten , as most foods do, I think.


Mr. Abrahams recommends his food, but as the staple ingredient

appears to be pea-meal it does not recommend itself to me.*


If you will give me some advice I shall be very grateful. Also how

many mealworms per diem would you give ?


Mary Appeeford.



The following replies were sent to Mrs. Appleford :—


Doubtless Brazilian Hangnest. It is an insectivorous bird, and

specially keen after caterpillars, and also takes fruit. Mine used to fly

loose in aviary and help themselves to anything they liked ; nothing was

provided specially for them. Give insectivorous food, insects if obtainable,

or a few mealworms, milk sop, and occasionally a little fruit; also fig, dates,

raisins, etc., now and then. It is a very cute bird ; and will help itself to

the best it can get, and will not starve itself to please anybody.


Reginald Phileipps.



The food for Blackcaps is hard-boiled egg and ants’ eggs in equal parts,

and a little scraped raw beef, also mealworms and any insects that can be

got. They do best in a fair-sized cage, and require water for bathing, care

being taken that they do not take cold after it.


J. Lewis Bonhote.



THE SCARLET IBIS.


Sir, —I should be glad of any hints on the management of the

Scarlet Ibis. I have just bought one, and he seems to do well on Spratts’

food, worms, green food, &c.


Will these birds stand our winter in an unheated aviary ? Are they

good tempered, and do they make any loud noise ?


Mine is quite young, and is huffy pink on the body with some brown

feathers on the head, neck, and breast. How long will he be before he

gets his scarlet feathers ? How can j’ou tell the sexes ? He seems a nice

docile bird but a voracious feeder and inclined to be messy.


A. A. Thom.



* I believe there is not a particle of pea-meal in Abrahams’ Food. I don’t know

what the basis is, but have always believed it to be coarsely ground Indian corn.

Nevertheless, pea-meal is very wholesome.—A. G. B.



